HIV Long-Term Survivors Day

Leading with Legacy

HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (HLTSAD) honors long-term survivors of HIV and increases visibility of their needs, health issues, and journeys. The annual observance falls on June 5, the anniversary of the first reported cases of what later became known as AIDS, in 1981. 

HIV long-term survivors include several groups: 

• People who have had HIV for over ten years
• People who have had HIV since they were born or shortly after, also known as lifetime survivors or Dandelions
• People who were diagnosed with HIV before modern HIV medicines, known as antiretroviral therapy (ART), became available in 1996.

With decades of successful HIV research and new treatments, people with HIV are living longer, resulting in a growing number of long-term survivors. This group of people may face health problems from long-term exposure to the virus, early HIV treatments with strong side effects, and long-term ART use. HLTSAD reminds out communities to support efforts to improve quality of life for long-term survivors with HIV.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) HIV research program, coordinated by the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR), supports research to better understand, co-occurring conditions in long-term survivors and people aging with HIV. OAR launched the HIV and Aging Signature Program in 2022 to advance research that could help improve the health of people with HIV who may have other health problems, such as memory problems, heart disease, and some cancers. This includes long-term survivors of HIV, who may be young but may still face the effects of long-term exposure to the virus and ART. The signature program has brought together people with HIV, researchers, and federal partners to work together to identify ways to improve health of older adults and long-term survivors with HIV.